Current Issue

Vol 41 (2019)

Volume 41 begins with the contribution by David Guignion, which critically assesses some of the central theses of the well-known contemporary thinker Jordan Peterson. Departing from the context of a particular piece of Canadian legislation, Guignion mounts an ambitious ‘counter-critique’ to Peterson’s critique of the notion of science in contemporary society. Next, AJ Golio’s article combines theory and empirics by identifying the ‘human costs’ that accompany the “fortress design” preservation policy of national parks which carries severe restrictions on land use including by local rural communities. The South African case, with its regime transition, enriches the understanding of how opening up this policy area to more public participation, in particular through electoral accountability, may help reduce its negative side effects on the communities that existentially depend on the land. Bernardino Leon-Reyes gains inspiration from the Weberian conceptualization of rationality in studying how a critical take on terrorism seems to have missed the centrality of (a certain type of) rationality in the conduct of terrorist actions. In a research note, Maxim Chupilkin advocates a more intense focus on inequality in political economy. He argues for a bi-directional study of social mobility, looking at both those who achieved a better economic position than their predecessors and those whose position worsened. Lastly, Marzio Di Feo reviews the popular book by Yuval Harari Homo Deus.

Research notes

Book reviews

Politikon: The IAPSS Journal of Political Science is the flagship publication of the International Association for Political Science Students (IAPSS). It is recognized as one of the leading academic journals managed by students and junior scholars from across the fields of political science and international relations. Founded in 2001, the journal is published four times a year and distributed online within and beyond the unique IAPSS network comprising over 500 members from over 60 countries.